Newcastle Seek Answers Over Questionable Refereeing

Newcastle have written to the Premier League to question recent refereeing decisions they feel have gone against them.

Eddie Howe’s side, who are second-bottom of the Premier League, have been punished by debatable calls in their last three matches, all defeats, with the manager criticizing the decisions afterwards.

In a 4-0 defeat at Leicester, Howe said he could not understand how referee Peter Bankes awarded a penalty to the hosts, their first goal of the game, after James Maddison appeared to make the most of contact by Jamaal Lascelles.

Against Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp’s team scored an equalizer and their first goal when Isaac Hayden lay on the six-yard line with a head injury. Howe described Mike Dean’s decision to let the goal stand in the 3-1 loss as “unjust”.

Read: Back For Business, Cristiano Ronaldo Declares Ahead Of Newcastle Clash

And in Sunday’s 4-0 loss to Manchester City Martin Atkinson did not award a penalty to Newcastle despite goalkeeper Ederson bringing down Ryan Fraser, a decision Howe called “baffling”.

Refereeing standards were also questioned by Klopp after two other decisions in Liverpool’s draw at Tottenham.

Former Newcastle captain Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day that Mike Riley – general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited – should “take responsibility” for recent mistakes and called the decision not to award Fraser a penalty “terrible”.

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